The present invention relates to an inflatable apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision.
It is known to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to help protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. One particular type of inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is an inflatable curtain that inflates from adjacent the roof of the vehicle downward inside the passenger compartment between a vehicle occupant and the side structure of the vehicle in the event of a side impact or rollover. A known inflatable curtain is inflated from a deflated condition by inflation fluid directed from an inflator to the inflatable curtain through a fill tube.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. The apparatus includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable into a position between a vehicle part and a vehicle occupant. The apparatus also includes an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The inflation fluid source contains a stored inflation fluid consisting essentially of 65-95% helium gas and 5-35% nitrogen gas stored under pressure.